The Living Dead - Nyotalia
by memefricker
Summary: Peril strikes as an anti-feminist extremist group begins to take hold of the governments around the world, and provoke terror for women and their children across the earth. They are the victim of the most widespread international genocide in history, and these nazi-like ideals are basically everywhere. But for the female nations in hiding, is there hope?
1. Chapter 1

"There was a time where life was good."

Her voice crumbled as she talked, fallen embers that struck fire in her voice. Tears puddled in her eyes that were full with dull pain, a memoir that was bittersweet; still freshly planted in her brain since it all had started. "There was a time where I could see the sun. There was a time where I could see the moon, the houses on my street, and mothers on the sidewalk with their nagging children by their side. I miss the way I could walk home in a dress and surprisingly, I miss the fear I had."

"Marianne, finish your soup." Alice mumbled, her voice just as dull as the tears in the French woman's eyes. "Now is not the time to rub it in."

Anya looked at Alice solemnly from across the wooden table, her violet eyes full of strife that was unable to be smothered. "Let her finish."

Marianne silently thanked her for the moment being, nodding in response. "Remember when we were considered human, Alice?"

"Marianne, stop it this instant. You aren't helping, damn it."

Madeline mumbled under her breath, meddling with the tainted label on a soup can that was considered a godsend for their ways of life at this point. "They've murdered us to the point where we're not considered human, by killing us they've taken away our purpose. Might as well be better off dead."

Chun-Yan quietly sobbed into her hand, flashes of her little sister transitioning into her mind here and there. She couldn't handle the thought of her being dead somewhere. She probably was, to say the least. Her eggs in some scientific farm still stained with her cold blood. Shocking was the word to describe the world at this point. Absolutely terrifying. God should have never created mankind.

The room smelled like dust and squalor. The five of them were living off canned goods in a bunker without baths. The light from the mere couple candles refracted onto the walls, their shadows moving as they talked. Sustaining life was a necessity yet life itself was not there. The pure joys of life were drained from their eyes and so were their purposes. Life was dead for those women, and life was taken from women in general.

Marianne spoke in a tone that was hushed, knowing that danger was everywhere now and outside was a battleground. The five of them were chained together in trust and willpower for bolstering the last bit of life they still had. "Remember when we could go to school? God, I had so many memories in high-school. I remember homecoming like it was yesterday. I miss Lutz so much."

Madeline sighed. "Maman, Lutz doesn't know you're still alive."

"He couldn't know. No one can know we're still alive because to them we're already dead. I wish I could be human again, Madeline. I wish I could be in love again. Things have changed so much in the past couple years." Marianne already had tears falling down her face in ridden fashion, as if a dam had broken in her heart and words were flooding out of her mouth. "Pretend you're dead, Madeline. Maybe things will change. They can't kill you if you're already dead."

"God damn it, Marianne. Enough is enough."

"Alice, forgetting that it happened and it's still happening is not going to make it not exist. You need to open the wound and you need to disinfect it, whatever that means." Anya's words of wisdom were unspoken prayers to the sobbing Marianne across the table.

"No. We don't have to do anything. Eat your soup now- it's getting cold, Marianne. We're starving. It hurts." Alice shook her head in response. Her mind merely wanted to forget that it happened. Her memories have haunted her for far too long. She didn't want to pour salt in the wound.

There was another silence that separated all five of them apart. Each were all damaged differently but each were just as damaged as the next. All of them had secrets that haunted them and all of them had stories. All of their lives were not counted and all of them were considered dead. Women are being killed because their lives are unworthy and there is nothing to do but sit in silence.

"What are we going to do now, now that America as the last country left to be under siege?" Chun-Yan mumbled, "The whole world is now effected and we cannot end it."

"Watch the fire burn and eventually burn with it." Alice's voice was robotic, no tone- just a depressingly dull voice that spoke volumes. "Accept our fate and eventually know that we're worthless anyway, fighting the system is going to ignite the fire to the point where it burns the rest of us. The rest of us, as in the women with our hearts still beating."

"We need to save Amelia." Madeline muttered, "Where is she?"

Chun-Yan sighed. "I doubt she's still breathing. We'd be lucky if her body still functions."

"She can't be…. She couldn't be dead… That can't happen." Anya's eyes widened.

Alice's green orbs averted towards Anya in a glare. "We're already dead. Get used to it."

* * *

Madeline shifted in her seat. She had already devised a plan in her quiet mumbling that seemed impossible at the moment, however, did she honestly didn't care about it in the first place. If it got them killed, fine.

"We need to find Amelia. We need to bring her back here."

Alice quickly stood up from her seat. "What are you, insane?"

The Canadian woman thought up of a clever comeback but abruptly snuffed it, gathering her thoughts again before responding. "She's my sister. I care about her more than I care about myself, dumbass."

"Madeline, whatever you do, do not walk out of this bunker. You hear me?" Marianne scolded her, her red puffy face looking even redder in the yellow hued candlelight. "You'd get killed out there."

"I'm finding Amelia, maman. You can't stop me." Madeline yelled. "God damn it, everything I try to do I get torn down for it! I'm going to do something good for once and be the god damn hero everyone assumes me to be, and if I do die- I'd be happier than the rest of you, still rotting in this god damn bunker."

"Madeline Williams, watch your mouth this instant!" Marianne screamed, "Don't you dare go out there!"

Madeline flipped the bird before grabbing Anya by the collar of her jacket, almost dragging her out the locked door of the bunker. She laughed inventively before locking the bunker from the outside, leaving her own mother behind. "Anya's coming with me."

Marianne flung herself towards Madeline in an attempt to drag her back inside, but her motherly instinct was too late. Madeline had run out the door with Anya in tow and was probably going to kill herself. The French woman screamed in response, attacking the door with all her might. "MADELINE!"

Alice ran up to Marianne, quickly wrapping her arms around the panicking mother whom Alice could relate to, trying to calm her down the best she could. "Marianne, oh my stars…. It's going to be alright."

"NO, DAMN IT. IT ISN'T. MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO DIE OUT THERE AND I CANNOT STOP HER."

The Chinese lady that was still sitting at the table, her eyes fixated in shock on the floor, could not make out any words. She tried to comprehend what just happened, but it all happened too fast and poor Chun-Yan could not handle it. "You're forgetting about… Anya…"

"Now's not the time, Chun-Yan." Alice stroked the hair on Marianne's head, letting her sob into her shoulders. "Now's not the time."

* * *

Anya screamed, looking around the bunker as if she hadn't seen the sunlight in years. "Madeline…. I can't freaking believe you…."

"I know. We're going to find Amelia together whether you like it or not. I'm sorry, you've never seen me like this." Madeline assured her, "I'm just freaking pissed."

Anya looked at her as if Madeline had two heads. "So, because you're pissed, you're going to sacrifice both our lives?"

"Basically."

The two of them refused to look at each other for a moment and silence filled the void.

The world around them was almost intact. Large trees surrounded them as if it was a militia and the birds unknowingly chirped happily in the horizon. It was almost so beautifully ignorant that it gave Madeline hope, that at least the birds are happy. At least the birds aren't being killed off because of their body parts. The grass was green and it seemed like a perfectly happy place to live, except the fact that it isn't. Life wasn't for their kind anymore so they had to be eradicated. That's how it's been and ever shall be for the past two years.

The five of them escaped two years ago when it started, luckily, and found a small bunker hidden in a grove of large trees. Coincidentally, they had disguised it well enough that the group of extremists didn't find them.

Anya thought kept thinking about it as they walked, going nowhere, aimlessly wandering around the forest without any sense of direction.

"Where do we even look for Amelia, anyway?" Anya broke the silence between them.

"We need to get to Amelia's house. It's actually close, I'm pretty sure. Don't you remember this forest? The forest miles behind our business offices? Remember when we actually had a purpose, remember when we actually had jobs-"

"Madeline, stop it. This whole 'remember when' shit is getting old." Anya interrupted her. "And yes, I do remember this place."

"Now, I'm pretty sure it's about 10 miles from here. That's pretty far, in perspective, but we'll survive." Madeline answered, "We have to head north. That's all I remember."

Anya quickly glanced at Madeline before returning her eyes back to the cloudy skies above. "That's sure comforting, but I'll take it."

The two of them walked for hours. They seemed to be in shock, their eyes gazing over all the things that sparked their memories of times that seemed happier. Madeline could see the old well that mysteriously got there. Amelia and Madeline used to tell stories about that well being a magical portal to another realm. Amelia fell down it once. It never went far.

Anya saw sunflowers in the wild for the first time in forever. It was peaceful yet nerve-wracking for them, walking in the forest all vulnerable like that. They had no weapons, no reassuring promise of life, just the two of them wandering north and hoping for an answered prayer. The two of them had no idea where life was taking them, yet they seemed to be in peace.

The skies were grey yet the forest was green. The forest was green and the flowers were blue, yellow, red, purple, so many colors came into perspective that were merely something Anya dreamed of.

The sun kept lowering in the sky and so were their hopes, yet Madeline still kept walking. Anya still followed her, believe it or not.

It began to rain and Madeline still kept going. Madeline loved her sister so much even though her heart was damaged, Madeline was going to do whatever it took to find her; even if it costed her life.

Anya felt the same way. Except she was forced into it.

"We're almost there. I promise." Madeline swore, "I can see the swing set in her yard, c'mon!"

Anya began to run and so did the Canadian woman. The two of them ran into her backyard out of breath, yet still full of hope. The swing set was still there.

Anya and Madeline took one look at the house and gasped. The house itself seemed vacant, the windows were smashed into and the door was open. Madeline's dreamy blue eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "She's probably…. P-probably-"

"No. It can't be. It just can't… Oh my god, please no." Anya screamed, her fists hitting the soft ground in pure exhaustion. "They've taken everything away from us. They can't just take away Amelia…. They just can't…"

Madeline sat on the grass. Her eyes were wide and somewhat expressionless at this point, mouthing off silently in her thoughts. "Now, we have to go back."

Anya took one glance at the setting sun. "We need to get back there. Soon."

"No… I can't just leave this house here like this. I can't leave Amelia here." Madeline shook her head.

Anya choked back on her words. "Amelia isn't here anymore, Madeline."

Madeline gave Anya a look of silent strife, breaking out into tears onto the grass- lying on the ground and refusing to move. Her legs gave out and so did she, lying on the ground with her hands covering her face.

"We have to look back. Madeline, please; just remember that if we cannot find her, it's going to be alright. She'd be in a…. Happier place."

"I don't want to leave. I want Amelia here, now."

Anya sat down with her as well. "I'm afraid that we don't have the power to do that, Madeline."

"I want to die, Anya."

Anya frowned, tears puddling in her violet eyes as well. "Please don't… say that."

"Anya, let's just sit here and just pretend the world isn't as messed up as it is." Madeline frowned. "Let's forget about the world. Let's make our own world right here."

"What would we name our new world anyway?"

Madeline's frown turned into a playful smile, wiping her wet eyes with her sleeve. "RusCan."

"As you wish."

The both of them laughed before returning their gaze to the sky, Madeline grabbing hold of Anya's hand. Their minds wandered about a happier world for them. Madeline simply let her head rest on Anya's shoulder after a while.

The two of them seemed happy for the time being. It was one of the most peaceful moments Anya had ever experienced in years.

A loud bang filled the air as the birds on the trees quickly flew off. Anya screamed, a bullet now lodged in Madeline's chest from an unknown gun. The Canadian woman's eyes widened as she fell backwards, paling almost instantly. Anya wailed as she quickly got up, scanning the area out of panic before running towards the forest path.

Anya had to get out of there.

The Russian woman sprinted, tears falling down her face onto her jacket, adrenaline coursing through her veins like it had been shot into her.

All good things must come to an end. Anya knew that to be true. Anya had to tell the others. Anya had to live.

Poor Marianne, she thought.

The rest of them had to live. They had to live in order to be treated as actual lives. That was the only way they could fix it, Anya thought.

Anya didn't have much time to think, and Anya ran.


	2. Chapter 2

Anya's legs were tired yet she never stopped running. Bullets whizzed past her like flies. Though the exhaustion and the loss of breath were inevitable and she could not breathe, Anya kept running. Thoughts ran through her at supersonic speed and her legs began to ache. Even yet, Anya was way too scared to stop running.

Anya couldn't look back.

Madeline was dead and it was still occurring to her, it was almost as if she had already denied it in the first place; the Russian woman did not have time to grieve at that exact moment. If she survived, she thought, maybe she'd have to be left with only her thoughts.

Both ideas were unbelievable and both scared her to the point of tears.

Her lungs could not scream loud enough to be heard, her voice was too panicked to make a sound. Her body was shaking as she sprinted through the dusking forest, aghast and noticeably pale. Anya felt as if she was on the verge of having a heart attack, she thought.

Her violet eyes formed tears that were already ridden across her face, her neck now damp as the wind blew it towards her ears. She was going to die right then and there, she realized. She was going to die and leave her friends in complete and utter despair.

She couldn't just let that happen. Leaving her friends in worry like that? No way.

As the aim of the shooters became more and more accurate, bullets became less easy to dodge- averting her direction towards the trees became less of an obstacle for them. Whoever they were; Anya didn't even know their name. Or what they looked like. The Russian woman could not make out a face in the pure few seconds of realization she had. They didn't stop following Anya, and Anya became weaker. Though, Anya didn't give up. Anya couldn't give up, even if she wanted to.

 _Bang!_ Another shot echoed through the air, the sharp bullet then successfully lodging into Anya's shoulder. Pain refracted through her body like a stab, and with a loud yelp she toppled over. She immediately panicked once again, realizing that if she stopped running; they'd take her away. "Shit!"

She dragged herself across the leaf ridden forest floor for a moment as she tried to get herself back on her feet. Anya groaned, gritting her teeth as another bullet seemed to swimmingly hit her back. The pain was unbearable but she had to keep running, the shooter was already getting closer and she couldn't just let them take her alive.

"God…. D-damn you, you son of a bitch-"She cursed, pulling herself upwards; stumbling on her feet once again. Gaining a pinch of stamina she began to run, though her pace was still slow. It was gaining momentum out of alarm by the second. The pain from her back began to spread across her body and it ached, and she forgot exactly where she was going in the first place. The sky was beginning to darken and it triggered her fear.

She knew that she could make it out alive, but not in the dark.

The gun began to shoot again, realizing her weakness- and the small missile then embed into the back of her arm; Anya screamed. Collapsing, the Russian woman could not move. She tried her hardest to try to crawl, but the pain was so immense that the smallest of movements caused her to nearly faint.

'This is it, this is the end.' She thought, crying once more. 'I'm officially going to die, here or in their special camps.' Anya sobbed, lying on the ground in failure. 'This is my fate.'

Anya knew she was about to die and all she could think about was Madeline. The way she talked, the last couple words Madeline spoke before the same bullets took away her final breath. Anya knew she could never forgive whoever killed her even if she did survive, which was almost unthinkable at this point.

Footsteps gradually got louder nearby and Anya attempted to crawl, but she cringed; the agony causing her to stay put. "W-who are y-you…?" She stuttered, blood already coming out of her mouth as she managed to spit out a couple words.

The voice was obviously male but was in some ways sadistic, especially if you know that, well, that same voice was from the person who killed your best friend. "You don't need to know that."

Anya's words fumbled from her mouth. "Why are you doing this…?"

The man laughed as the eye of the gun started to dig into her stomach. "I'm putting you out of your misery, you'll thank me; don't worry. This may hurt."

Anya scowled, her hand leaping from aside her towards his hand- his hand that was already hovering over the trigger. Knocking it from his arm, it still shot- though the bullet landed next to her. Taking an act of faith- she grabbed the gun from the floor, the pain still exploding in her other arm. Using her available hand she aimed it at his head- a look in her eye of pure strife and wrath. "Fuck you."

"Oh, is the cripple going to try to save herself? I thought you'd thank me. It's not normal for me to see a corpse and her dead friend walking around these parts of the forest."

Anya quickly hit the trigger, immediately sending a shot into the middle of his head. Instantaneously, his already lifeless body fell to the forest floor in a way that was scarring. The way he died so quickly was something Anya can never forget.

Newly formed tears fell down her face as she let out a sob. "I was never dead, you fucking idiot."

* * *

"I can't believe it's been two hours. It's been two hours and no sign of them at all." Alice groaned, her head hitting the table in a rapid function. "I honestly thought they'd get scared and turn back, but no. Madeline must be going through another phase."

"They're both probably dead." Marianne hadn't stopped crying since they left; already dousing herself with the last bit of wine they still had left.

Chun-Yan sighed. "Marianne, we're going to have no wine at all because of this. If they come back alive and still functioning you would have wasted all our wine for nothing."

Marianne slammed her fist against the table. "They just can't leave here at sunset have us expect they'll come back still fresh-faced. Best case scenario they have a gash in their left side."

"Calm down, frog-face." Alice shot a reflective glare at the French woman across from her. "Stop being so negative right now. You better fucking knock on wood at this point."

While Anya was away, Chun-Yan was the new face of optimism in their bunker. She realized that if Anya was supposed to die, Chun-Yan had to take her place. Anya was such an amazingly strong person and she knew that. Anya was there for everyone yet she was never there for herself.

"Let's just try to be optimistic about this. Let's eat our dinner and sleep on it, if they don't come back, we have each other." Chun-Yan frowned. "Expecting that they're dead isn't going to help if they're dead right now. Pretend they're alive until we know they're dead and stop jumping to conclusions."

"Be _optimistic?_ Chun-Fucking-Yan are you motherfucking kidding me? My daughter is out there with my best friend _in the dark_ in a _dystopian holocaustic society_ and I have to be fucking _optimistic_ about it? Where's your sister while you're at it, huh?" Marianne yelled. She was never like this. Marianne was only like this at certain times and that certain time was now.

Chun-Yan stared off into space. The Chinese woman could not formulate a proper response except her sudden tears.

Marianne laughed. "Yeah, like that."

Alice stood up from her seat. "Marianne, shut your fucking frog face right now because I slap you into the next century."

"Oh, the talking tea-bag is going to threaten me now? Have at it, bitch."

" _EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW."_ Chun-Yan's voice was unexpectedly loud; the both of them jumped.

Marianne bit her lip in anger before stomping over to her bed quarters. Alice, on the other hand, shot a small glare at the French woman behind her back before sliding into bed.

"Stop acting like a five year old, Marianne." Chun-Yan added, "All of us need to calm down and sleep."

"Okay there, Mahatma Gandhi, you can calm down now." Alice joked. "I'm going to sleep, put the gun down."

Chun-Yan crossed her arms. "I'm not even holding a gun."

"You're missing the point by a mile long standard." Alice snickered, "That's the joke, dumbass."

Chun-Yan bit her tongue as she slid into bed. There was a silence that lasted for two hours after that, the three of them still not able to sleep. Marianne especially couldn't sleep. Alice tossed and turned but nothing came out of that, and Chun-Yan was simply too stressed out to doze off.

Alice broke the silence that overcame them with a small, "Do you really think Amelia is still out there?"

Marianne sat up on her bed, still somewhat miffed about what happened; but she overcame that and tried to make up for what she said. "I don't know, Alice. I hope she is."

"I hope so too." Chun-Yan answered.

"I don't know whether life is worth living at this point, you guys." Alice mumbled.

Marianne knit her brows. "Alice Kirkland, I doubt any of us could live without you. You with all your Shakespearian references. You're magnificent."

"Shut up." The English woman laughed, "That isn't true, frog face, and I bet you're just saying that."

Marianne smirked. "I could fucking kiss you right now, you know that?"

Chun-Yan subtly interrupted the two. "Can you two stop being gay for each other for like, one second? Thanks."

Alice scowled. "It's not… like that. I could kiss her too but I'm not going to go down on her."

"Oh, so like, no homo? At all?" Chun-Yan sneered, "Quit denying it you two, just shut up and go to sleep god damn it."

"Yeah… Totally platonic. Completely platonic." Marianne laughed. "Goodnight, Mon Amour."

"Night."

* * *

Both of them were asleep except for Alice. Marianne surprisingly was able to sleep after that, her mind most likely full of dirty thoughts. Typical.

Chun-Yan eventually fell asleep right after that, somewhat snoring as well. Alice couldn't sleep when she had too much to think about. The whole epidemic with Anya and Madeline was stressful.

She also missed her own daughter as much as she missed Madeline.

Anya too, but she scared Alice. There was something about Anya that scared Alice, whether it be her smile or just her upbringings.

A loud knock on the door followed by screaming was sure something to wake Marianne up, that was for sure.

"Madeline!" Marianne screamed, launching herself out of bed and towards the door. Alice did the same.

Anya opened the door before running in, her face red and still wet with tears- blood dripping down her body like sweat and a dead look in her eye. "Marianne, I'm afraid Madeline is dead. They're both dead. Amelia…. God damn it, Amelia is dead. Everyone is dying. I'm dying. I can't breathe, I can't fucking breathe-"

Marianne wailed, falling to the floor in shock- but she was expecting this. She just wasn't _really_ expecting it.

 _"Madeline is dead."_ Alice repeated in pure horror, _"Amelia is dead."_


	3. Chapter 3

'Madeline and Amelia are dead.'

Those five words were unbearably painful to hear, especially to speak; Anya's violet orbed eyes beginning to water once more. Marianne's whole heart was breaking into shatters, small fragments of glass piercing her skin though it didn't make a sound. There was no shattering _clank_ against the floor, except the sound of the French woman's sobs muffled behind her hand. Marianne's heart sunk until it disintegrated and she could only hear it herself, leaving behind her sanity at the presence of reality. It struck her like the bullet that rid the life of her own daughter, Madeline Williams.

Reality struck them like a freight train and all they could do was stand there. The stillness of the air was ripe with silence, as if their screaming was all locked inside their heads.

Alice didn't cry. Alice stood there like a coward with her shaking hands, and could do nothing but remember Amelia's eyes. Amelia's eyes were the bluest eyes Alice had ever seen- though she would never see them again.

It was sad, but it was also a relief. Chun-Yan didn't grieve as much as the rest of them, for her heart felt somewhat at peace. They finally were able to find a conclusion to their hours of worry, yet it was bittersweet. Fate had taken away two beautiful young girls that Chun-Yan knew well.

Anya's arm was still swelling with agony as she collapsed; blood dripping onto floor. The rest of them suddenly comprehended that she was most likely moribund; they couldn't let another one of their friends slip away after that. The death toll was not going to expand on their watch.

Chun-Yan leaped out of her chair speedily as she hit the ground, picking her up with the strength she had before rushing her over to the bed.

"God, Anya; don't die on us like this." Chun-Yan managed to speak, already wrapping some excess cloth around her arm. Blanketing her in sheets, she desperately tried to keep Anya warm and to refrain her body from going into shock.

Marianne wasn't bleeding but she was in shock. She simply sat on the floor and refused to move. Her body could not move and her thoughts were fast-moving, her eyes fixated on the floor completely terror stricken.

"Alice, God damn it, help Marianne. Now."

Alice shook her head and attempted to poke her. Marianne didn't flinch; Alice started to cry. Rapidly convulsing her, Marianne still wasn't shifting. Alice picked her up, throwing her on the soft bed to try to get a reaction out of her, yet the pale French woman did not move an inch. "Chun-Yan… H-Holy shit."

Chun-Yan was still hasting, little time to waste. Her best friend's life was at risk and she couldn't lose it. The Chinese woman quickly looked over at Alice who was standing there, her eyes plastered onto Marianne with a horrified expression. That couldn't be good.

"Is she moving?" Chun-Yan yelled across the room. She began to cry as well; what had happened to the six of them? Two of them were dead and possibly two more lives as well.

"She hasn't moved since Anya came in here with the… News…" Alice cowered, her hand resting over her face to cover her eyes. "God damn it, Marianne. Wake up!"

Chun-Yan finished bandaging her wounds and sat back down, carefully placing Anya's head on a pillow to await her hopeful wake. Her heart was still beating, yet Chun-Yan could not believe that she was truly alive in the first place. God hadn't answered her prayers in weeks and she began to pace around the room.

"There's only going to be the two of us alive at this rate." Alice sobbed, her voice sounding monotone with the on-coming wave of tears. "I can't believe this..."

Chun-Yan snapped, banging her fist against the table. "Shut the fuck up and listen. Stop moping and please start praying, for God's sake. We can't live without Marianne or Anya at this rate. I don't even know where the others are. They're probably dead, just like Amelia and Madeline."

Alice screamed. "Stop! Stop talking about them! They're _dead_! We're all _dead_! Death is awaiting us and all we can do is sit here!"

"You're driving yourself to the point of fucking insanity, Alice."

"Shut the fuck up, Chun-Yan! Shut the _fuck_ up! Right now!"

Chun-Yan sighed, tears welling up in her eyes once again. They have had non-stop crying for the past couple weeks, and Madeline pulling a _Julchen Maria Beilschmidt_ was not going to stop them from crying, or help their situation in the first place. "Please, calm down. _Breathe._ Inhale, exhale."

" _MY FUCKING LESBIAN CRUSH IS DYING RIGHT NOW. HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO STAY CALM?"_

"..Wait, your… what?" Chun-Yan blinked.

"I… Oh, um… Oops..."

Chun-Yan muttered a small laugh before lying down, staring at the ceiling as if awaiting her own fate. 'That's great, Alice. I'm pretty sure everyone has had a crush on Marianne once, may it be Lesbian or not."

Alice protectively grabbed Marianne's unconscious hand. "What do you mean?"

"Hell, that face is magnificent. That ass? Almost as great as Isabel's." Chun-Yan laughed. "Christ, I'm gay."

"I'm pretty sure we're all a little gay here." Alice giggled, as if she had momentarily forgot that her apparent ' _lesbian crush'_ was most likely dying. "Nonetheless, I think it's wonderful."

Chun-Yan quickly averted the current topic and turned to face Anya again. Her pale face began to bring back its color, yet she wasn't cured. "Anya… Are you dying?"

Alice snickered, 'No shit, Sherlock," in the best Russian accent she could manage. "I think so. I'm pretty sure you nearly die when you lose as much blood as I did."

The Russian's eyes suddenly fluttered open, unexpectedly sitting up in bed as if nothing had just happened. "Shut up." She replied, "That's not even a good accent, сука."

Chun-Yan gasped before grinning. "Nice one, Anya. Perfect timing."

* * *

Alice hit herself repeatedly. "Damn it! You had me fucking scared there, Anya. Don't do that again."

"What, can I not pass out if I need to?" Anya's sly remark was followed by a shit-eating grin. "Why, that's quite selfish of you, Alice."

Chun-Yan smirked. "Damn, can you hold off on all the sarcasm? You're being a savage again."

"I've risen." Anya laughed, "Rejoice."

Alice and Anya simply stared at each other each passing minute, Chun-Yan doing the same. There were simply so many questions all of them wanted to ask Anya, but couldn't mechanically make the words come out. The words fought at Alice's lips anxiously yet she was too tired to say them, too sad to ask for the truth. The room was still once again and it left Chun-Yan and Alice to simply question themselves.

When a heart breaks hard, does it make a sound?

No, it does not. If it did, though; the bunker would be as loud as a rock concert, Alice thought. The British woman laughed at her internal joke and left Anya questioning.

"What on God's green earth are you laughing about?" Anya interrupted the presence of the silence. It was a welcomed guest in their bunker.

Alice blinked. "Nothing. Forget about it."

Silence kept filling the void one moment after another, the three of them being left with only their thoughts. Anya still had not only the physical scars ridden across her body, yet the thought of Madeline made her insides twist. Anya knew she would never be able to forget the lifeless look on Madeline's face, whether she be old; ragged or not.

Anya tried to shake it off. She tried not to think about it anymore and to try to think more positive. At least Alice and Chun-Yan were alright. She still had some friends and that was all that mattered to Anya anymore.

"Is Marianne alright?" Anya asked, her face still somewhat tainted with the combination of dirt, sweat, blood, and tears. Chun-Yan forgot to wipe her face, damn it.

Alice's face paled once again as she remembered the woman next to her. "Shit, I forgot."

"You forgot about your ' _lesbian lover_ '? Jeez, I thought you were into that."

Alice stood up in almost an instant to check her pulse. With a relieved sigh, she noticed that her heart was, surprisingly, still beating. "Holy smokes…. I nearly gave myself a heart attack."

"I'm pretty sure Marianne had a heart attack." Chun-Yan added, "It wouldn't surprise me if she did. She looked as if she had seen a ghost."

"What happened?" Anya asked, "Did something else happen when you guys thought I was dead?"

"We didn't think you were dead, Anya. We knew your heart was still beating." Alice added, "We were just scared that it was fading."

Anya scowled. "Yeah, I get that; but what the fuck _happened_?"

"Alright, calm down!"

Chun-Yan had explained everything in a matter of two minutes, the panic attack; and how she basically saved her life. She also included the whole ' _lesbian crush_ ' thing, whatever that means.

"Alice, you're gay?" Anya asked, somewhat confused yet full of understanding.

"I'm not gay, I'm just confused. Marianne makes me confused, sorry."

"I understand. I understand completely."

Chun-Yan shook Marianne once again to try to re-gain her consciousness. 'Hey, you two- stop being gay for Marianne for one second and help me try to bring her back to life, got it?"

Alice got up from her seat to walk over to Marianne. Though her face was still pale, she still looked undeniably perfect. Her eyes were closed with her hair still flowing beside her. The frame of her face was so aesthetically pleasing to Alice, she could take pictures. If only they had a camera.

Alice would take _so_ many pictures.

"You need some help with CPR? I'm pretty sure Alice would _love_ to participate." Anya teased.

"Shut up, you bloody asshat." Alice exclaimed, "Now you're just being rude."

"Being _rude?_ " Anya laughed, "I'm trying to help you."

* * *

Chun-Yan took some of the water from the shelf after dealing with their frivolous argument, pouring it on Marianne's face. Though, not wanting to waste the water they had, it was for good use. She prayed for it to work.

 _And it did._

Marianne coughed, choking on the water that slipped into her lungs; waking up abruptly.

"Which one of you said they were gay for me again?" Marianne choked, yet still managed to speak, "I swear, I could hear someone's voice."

In which, Alice replied with a single whispered response- and since the room was so silent, it was heavily audible.

"Shit."


	4. Chapter 4

Their hopes and dreams flew past them while they slept in the form of a dream, too obscure to figure out the real meaning behind them.

Madeline's voice could still be heard in Anya's delusion, her voice still as clear and perfect as Anya could remember- waking up in complete and utter tears. The Russian woman's brain spun, as if waking up was in its own dream itself- that time and space was merely all a dream and her suffering was an enigma, or a memory of bad times as imagined in a time of pure hope.

Reality hit her like a train again; her violet orbs burst into tears.

All for certain, she knew Madeline was dead- because she watched her pass. Amelia, on the other hand, Anya didn't know for sure.

Though, both of which made her heart hang low in her chest- as if dragged down by an outside force that never left.

Was life worth living? Anya didn't know. Anya was already dead and she could feel it, the life ripped out of her like she was shot.

It simply reminded her of Madeline.

She punched her pillow in frustration. Gosh, she simply wanted to forget about it- leave the unearthly and cruel world she lived in. Anya wanted to feel alive again and she knew that, yet she knew that others could not be as fortunate as she was.

Was there life after death? It was a question she kept asking herself. Was Madeline happy now? Maybe, she was the one directing her now- the angel at her bedside and the light that gave her hope. Maybe Madeline was in a better place; maybe Anya needed to be happy about that instead.

Yet, the thought made Anya envy the dead. It made Anya's tears become ripe with jealousy as if they were tainted with the color green. God, why couldn't she just be dead in the first place? Anya's mind wandered.

Was there heaven for the wicked, was there a savior? Or was the one God Anya knew neglecting them?

Anya couldn't answer that question. All she knew was that God was dead in the first place, and it was the Devil's work. God was dead in her mind and in her heart; hope was smothered in its very throne.

Anya's sobs were muffled behind her pillow that stanched of uncleanliness; her crying louder than she could control. She couldn't stop the tears from forming and the grief in her heart that was tearing her to pieces.

Her crying was so loud that it caused Marianne to shift in her sleep, waking up with a groan. "Anya, what's wrong?" She mumbled, fumbling out of her sheets to take the pillow off her head.

Anya nearly jumped at the sudden attention, separating her head from her bolster and wiping her tears. "I… I'm alright, just another existential crisis again."

"Oh, jee. Another one of those?" Marianne muttered somewhat drowsily, "I'm sorry, do you need a hug?"

The Russian woman sat up in bed, her face red and puffy yet still utterly crafted in a way that was hypnotizing to the eye. "No, I just need time to think."

Marianne scowled. "No, you don't. Thinking is the _worst_ thing you can do when you're upset- being left with your thoughts is pure torture. C'mere, Anya. You can sleep with me."

"R-really?" Anya slipped out of the crevice of her own bed to tip-toe over to hers, avoiding to wake the others up. Sleeping in someone else's bed sounded comforting, as if maybe she wasn't alone.

Anya was never alone now, Madeline felt there with her at all times.

Though, it was a different kind of lonely that tugged at her heartstrings.

Marianne moved over, providing her some room. With a fainted smile, Marianne offered her the pillow she was using; already curled up next to her in her own warmth.

Anya's smile once again returned, lying next to her as if Marianne was an omen.

And she was, for the moment being.

Marianne drifted off to sleep happily, knowing that she made a difference in how someone else felt.

Anya slept because she knew she was loved, and Anya slept happily knowing that she was warm. Which was a rare occurrence for the Russian.

* * *

Alice woke up with a groggy yawn, her emerald eyes wafting around the room; still fresh from sleep. Her eyes fixated on the Russian next to the woman she, well, secretly loved- and decided that she hated her; her eyes as green as the envy already growing in her heart.

Damn it, how come she never slept with her?

Alice bit her lip to sustain her out-burst from escaping out of her lips, lying back down to stare intently at the ceiling.

Alice missed Amelia.

Fuck, Alice _really_ missed Amelia.

Even more, she missed the happy times Alice had. The feeling of family and the notion of safeness, in their suburban home every Christmas. She longed for the feeling of togetherness, yet knew that it would never be the same again.

Madeline and her own daughter were dead. The only one left was Marianne. Family didn't mean the same thing it used to, years ago.

All family meant now was utility for survival. There is no Christmas, there is no vacations spent together and there is no harmony. Sustaining life was the only left moral for them anymore. In which, life didn't exist. Life was cruel and life was dead, as confusing as that means.

Alice's hope died off years ago. The only thing left in her heart was the harsh injustice she felt.

Alice was in need of a hug, too. Marianne never knew that, though, because Alice never cried.

'Crying is weakness,' Alice repeated in her mind, 'You can't survive if you are weak. The train for life does not stop for the ones too careless to get on.'

Chun-Yan, who had woken up hours ago, could sense the turmoil in Alice's strong-willed heart. Alice was the weakest one, and Chun-Yan could sense that. Through her strong output stood the heart of a coward, gilded by a surface of false gold. "Alice, you're awake. What's wrong?"

"Oh, shut up- you bloody eggplant." Alice tossed in her bed. "Nothing's fucking wrong, stop asking."

"You… _what?_ " Chun-Yan laughed, " _Eggplant..?"_

"Shut the fuck up and go back to sleep. Leave me alone."

Chun-Yan snickered at her terrible insult, getting up from her bed to sit at the foot of the English woman. "Alright, something's up. You called me an eggplant."

"I know, you fucking jerk. I asked you to leave me alone." Alice sat up in her bed, her lips pouted in a way that was utterly childish.

Chun-Yan didn't mind her obvious anger. With a wise smile, she continued. "We're going to have a mini funeral today, you know that?"

"Damn it, nice to rub it in my face, eh? You guys must like to cry, you all must enjoy being weak. I'll enjoy it when the life train leaves the station and you all are left behind."

Chun-Yan grabbed Alice's hand. "Stop it, now! You're being aggravating. Who said crying is weakness?"

Alice scoffed. "I did, you bloody idiot."

"Oh, wise one. It seems as if you're wrong."

* * *

It had been hours later that Marianne awoke, Anya in tow. The remaining four of them seemed to have a dull look in their eye, as if life itself was still being drained from them every passing minute.

Chun-Yan had gathered all the seats together in a row, a small circle for them near the corner of the room that was separated for their small get-together.

Marianne had helped plan it all.

"Now, we are gathered here today to remember the loss of our loved ones, Madeline Marie Williams, and Amelia Fiona Jones." Chun-Yan began, her voice at loss of pure tone, her eyes fixated on the back of the wall. "Would anyone have any stories they'd like to share about them?"

A brief stillness separated the four of them apart, their eyes heavy with emotion that began to swell with tears.

Anya raised her hand slightly, her voice shaking with a small "I will."

The three other girls averted their eyes towards the Russian woman who had already began to cry. "I remember when Amelia used to try to get me to watch all the episodes of Gilmore Girls with her," she smiled through the wet droplets starting to fall onto her lap. "We watched the first episode; we were hooked. We ended up watching the entire 1st season in one night. It was the first time she held my hand and we shared a box of popcorn together."

Alice shook her head, "I thought you loved Madeline?"

"I loved them both."

Marianne's eyes drifted off into space from the mention of her daughter's name. It was as if she didn't recognize that name anymore, as if it was a passed on portion of her life that had already vanished in thin air. That name held so many memories and emotion that the name itself was hard to speak- as if Madeline was back from the dead with her arms around her neck, even at the slightest mention.  
Marianne refused to speak or add anything; the time wasn't right, and she wasn't ready.

The rest of them refrained from adding anything to the conversation for a while. The moment was still freshly scarred into their brains, and it was a moment none of them could forget.

Especially for Anya. She could still feel the sharp pain in her arm.

Alice raised her voice. "I remember when Amelia was little, and used to say the funniest of things."

"Oh my _god_ , I remember." Marianne sobbed into her hands. "She was so cute when she was little. I want her back."

Alice quickly wrapped her arms around the French woman in a sympathetic manor, knowing exactly how she felt. Even if she somewhat hated that woman, there was something about her that Alice always loved.

"Remember her 'stuffed animal'?" Alice laughed. "'This is my stuffed animal. It smells like strawberries.' 'Really?' 'No.'"

Marianne continued to cry loudly into the English woman's shoulder. "I got her that for Christmas. It never even smelled like strawberries."

"That's what was so funny about it." Alice teared up a bit, "She always had something funny to say. Madeline used to get so pissed because whenever she tried to be funny, no one listened."

" _Madeline,_ Oh my god. Come back!" Marianne shattered at the thought of her own daughter crying in her room, screaming at Amelia because it was her fault that no one listened. "I'm sorry! Oh my lord, I'm sorry… What did I do to deserve _this?_ "

Alice shuddered, holding onto the woman as tightly as she could. Chun-Yan and Anya stared at each other, Anya beginning to cry as well; it got to the point where all of them were crying. All of them were crying the life out of them, even if they felt as if they were already dead.

Anya jumped into the hug, embracing the two of them through her sobs- Marianne's sniffles echoing across the bunker. Chun-Yan then hugged Anya. They were all in this together, all hugging each other- all feeling welcomed. They knew that they had each other and that they were not alone, and because of this Chun-Yan began to weep.

They hugged it out for a long period of twenty minutes; time went by, and they all went their separate ways. They all went off to take a nap and try to settle things out with themselves on their own; all battling thoughts, yet all of their thoughts were different. All of them were unique, but all of them were broken in one way or another.

Night passed by and none of them said a word. All of them were somewhat selfish about their thoughts, and all of them were too broken to try to fix each other.

Madeline and Amelia were ripped from their lives, and their dying hands were wrapped around their hearts to begin with; taking their hearts with them.

* * *

They were all interrupted by a knock on the door, a German voice following soon after. "Feliciana, quick- they're in here!'


	5. Chapter 5

The four girls awoke with surprise, hearing the oddly familiar voice at their doorstep. They exchanged unsure glances at each other; Alice raising a noticeable eyebrow before cautiously approaching the door.

Marianne's heart began to race. "Is… that?"

"I don't know..." Chun-Yan answered, her face paling a bit in suspense. What if it were a guard, or an extremist? What if it was a trick? Better yet, how did they knew they were in there? "C-Could it be…?"

Anya hid herself in the blankets, already taking cover as if it was supposed to be a guard in the first place. If they never saw her in the bed, they'd leave. There were no other options for hiding spaces.

Alice slowly walked to the doorknob, her hands lightly shaking out of somewhat anticipation. There was slight crying that was audible behind even the iron door- which gave Alice some sort of recognition. It relieved her in the slightest as she painfully slowly began to open the door, which gave off a loud creak.

Standing in the door were two familiar faces. A tall, firm-built woman stood fairly cowardly at the door- her hands hidden behind her back; her blue eyes full of complete and utter fear. Her blonde hair hung short on her face, her bangs slicked back with sweat- grungy stains tainted at her green clothes just like everyone else. Alice knew those blue eyes all too well.

Beside her was a shorter, apprehensive woman who shook. Her chestnut eyes hung heavy with most of the emotions known to man; anger, fear, sadness, and even joy. Though, joy was not prominent- it was still locked down in her anxious eyes, yet it still glimmered in the sun above. Sadness and anger were the only things Alice could possibly read at a small glance. Her palms were red; her face stained with blood as it smeared down her face. Tears were already streaming down her cheeks as if they hadn't stopped coming, as if she had been crying the whole way there. Her brown hair was put back in a ponytail, yet it was fuzzy and looked as if it hadn't been brushed in days. Alice knew that face anywhere, even if it was stained with blood.

The German woman beside the brunette began to weep for the first time in years; scaring the woman next to her. It had been seconds before Alice rushed the two of them inside.

"Monika… Feliciana… How did you get here?" Marianne breathed in utter shock. Standing in front of them were two girls from their past that were surprisingly alive.

Scratch that, they weren't alive. All of them were dead. Their hearts beating, yet they were dead.

The brunette, whose name was Feliciana, nevertheless smiled even in the face of her still painful grief. "It's a long story."

* * *

Twenty minutes passed and all they did was stare at each other in silence.

Anya quickly got out of her bed, her eyes meeting with the German woman sitting across the table. Her face was fresh with surprising tears that rid her face, her eyes heavy with grief and worry. "Monika…? Is that really you?"

Monika sniffed, wiping her face quickly with the nearest rag. "Yes, it is. I… I can't believe what I'm seeing."

"What do you mean, Monika?" Marianne quickly responded, already beginning to brush out the Italian woman's hair with a brush that she had brought with her. She had brought that brush coincidentally in her hand as she was running; that day being the day that they had left for the bunker.

Monika's voice was clearly shaking, holding onto the edge of the table with her other hand. "I see all of you. I never thought I'd ever see any of your faces again."

Chun-Yan chuckled. "We were thinking the same thing, honestly. We're just as amazed as you are, Monika."

Monika's eyes averted towards the dull-eyed Italian, her face full of compassion yet panged with worry. She remained silent for a couple minutes, her mind full of thoughts.

Marianne struggled to find light for a moment, already beginning to put the Italian's hair in a fishtail. The bedroom side of the bunker was considerably hard to see in, for Marianne's bed was in the corner of the room.

Anya walked over to Marianne slowly, sitting at the edge of her bed. Marianne was magnanimously fixing Feliciana's hair, pushing it off to the side of her face. The room being dim-lit was no problem for any of them, except if you were trying to braid someone's hair. "I can help with that, if you want." She offered, her tone just as motherly as the past mother herself, Marianne.

"That would be nice, thank you." The French woman gratefully nodded, scooting over to give Anya some room. Feliciana still sat in front of them, her eyes already glued to the floor.

Anya's swift hands already began to do its work, twisting it as she kept going downwards. The Italian woman's hair was quite long, so it was sure to take some time. Her brunette locks eventually began to all turn into a braid, Anya's hands confidently finishing it up before tying it with her last elastic.

The Russian woman tapped Feliciana on the shoulder. With a jolt, the woman quickly escaped from her depressive haze. "What?"

"Do you like it?" Anya asked, her violet orbs curiously looking at the back of her head.

Feliciana turned around to face the Russian, her once cheery eyes turning fairly cold. She scowled. "I can't even see it in this light."

Marianne tilted her head in confusion, her naturally wavy locks of hair falling to the side. "Amie, why are you so angry? Est ce que ça va?"

Feliciana, having once learned French, could understand what she had asked. "No, I'm not, cretino. My sister is fucking dead and I miss her so much. I'm beginning to sound like her, aren't I? Her angel is influencing me."

Chun-Yan quickly dropped the soup can to the floor, as she was about to make something to cheer the German up. "….What?"

Marianne gasped, clutching onto Anya's arm. "Chiara? S-she's—"

"Dead. Chiara, my damn sister, is dead. Thanks."

Anya's smile dropped immediately, quickly hugging the Italian that seemed to choke on her words. All of them except for Feliciana and Monika were shocked.

That was mainly because they saw it happen.

"I can't fucking believe that she's gone. It sucks, doesn't it? I already have two of my loved ones die ever since I was brought on this fucking earth. Damn it, Holy Rome. I don't even know where she is now."

Monika gulped, clenching her fist as if she were holding back something in her throat. It wasn't vomit, it was a sentence. Both of which could be considered vomit, in Monika's standpoint.

The German couldn't bring herself to explain.

"Feliciana… I'm so sorry." Marianne's violet eyes began to puddle up, filling with sorrowful empathy that was awfully strong.

"Cazzo si, zuia." Feliciana spat, "Fuck you. You wouldn't understand- none of you understand! Not at all. You think I'm some cheery fuckwad, don't you? Ever since I was fucking _made_ all I've been categorized as is some _weak_ little shit! Well, you know what? Maybe you don't understand who I actually am! I'm upset as shit, and I've been upset this whole fucking time- yet I still smile. I still smile because that's what I've been programmed to do, dammit!"

Alice, who had been taking a quiet nap, woke up somewhat surprised- her green orbs widened in shock. "Okay… first of all. Feliciana, what has happened to you?"

"This is how I've always been, idiot." Feliciana cursed, her face becoming red with wrath. "I'm just too much of a petty piece of shit."

Monika stared at her in disbelief. "Feliciana… what has happened to you?"

"You know how it is. You've lived with me for years."

Chun-Yan shook her head, her wise eyes looking sternly into the Italian's chestnut orbs. "Calm down, I'm not in the mood for an intervention."

* * *

After about an hour, they had settled the Italian down with some soup- and let her nap in Anya's bed for the time being. Monika had already washed her hands in the bowl that currently remain in the corner. The five of them stared at each other while they sat at the table to talk, none of them able to formulate a proper question.

Anya sighed, pushing a small hair out of her face. "How did you get here, Monika?"

The German woman coughed, clearing her throat a bit before beginning to explain. Her blue eyes were watery as she began. "It all started when we were ambushed by soldiers a couple years back, when the whole 'holocaust' ideals started. We were out on a camping trip that day; Feliciana, Sakura, Chiara, and I. We were out in the woods with our tents and everything, merely wanting to sit by the fire and enjoy ourselves until we heard a gunshot. I grabbed my aid kit and ran, along with the rest- heaving into a random part of the forest. We never stopped running; Feliciana growing tired minutes later. I carried her for the most part, Sakura held our stuff. We had realized what was happening after Chiara was got a text from her mother, Isabel- telling us to run as fast as we can, that they were out for blood. Sakura told us that they could track us easily using her phone- so we threw them all in the lake. We said goodbye to our freedom that day, which was for sure."

"Where did you guys stay?" Marianne asked curiously, twirling the wave of her hair that was pulled to the side.

Monika frowned. "We slept in trees, mostly. Sakura being quite a good climber was easy, for she helped us up there, and made our beds."

"…Beds? In trees?" Chun-Yan asked quizzically.

"We put blankets on the bark and prayed to God that we didn't fall. We traveled for a year, hoping to find some others in this forest. It became tougher every week for survival. Most of which, we'd hide. We were constantly on the move, you know." Monika added.

It was then that Alice had asked a question that caused Monika's eyes to water. "Where is Sakura?"

"About half a year later after the incident, we were ambushed in the night by a couple of extremists with guns. It was the night that rid us of Chiara; I couldn't save her, damn it. Sakura ran off into the dark forest, and we tried to follow her- but it was no use. We're still trying to find her, that's how we found your bunker. I could hear your voices."

"So it's just… you and Feliciana?" Alice replied.

Monika's eyes averted downwards. "Yes."

Marianne looked at Monika in compassion. "Don't worry, Monika. We're still here."

Monika remembered one of the reasons why she had come there in the first place, her blue eyes perking up. "For long, I hope. I still need to tell you more. It's important."

Alice stood up, finishing the last of her soup. "What?"

Monika gulped, as if she were ashamed that she had forgotten about something so important. "You all need to leave. You all need to take all your stuff here, and you need to come with me. They knew where you are; they're coming for you. They're coming for all of us, and they want our god damn eggs. They especially want the eggs of past mothers, by the way." Her eyes directed towards Marianne, whose eyes were already full of panicked tears.

All of them were too shocked to respond properly.

"…What? We have to _leave?_ " Anya exclaimed. "No… no way."

Monika looked at her angrily. "Do you want to die?"

The Russian sheepishly looked back at the German, who seemed to not be playing any games. "I… No."

"Alright then, listen up. Those extremists that killed Chiara, right? They're coming for us. If you don't want to end up like she did, with a bullet to the head, I suggest you listen and do exactly what I say, got it?" Monika ordered, her tone just as stern as the four of them could remember. "We need to leave in about three hours. I need you all to gather as much food as you possibly can, and bring anything you do not want to leave here. Do not bring more than you can run with, alright? I want you to do that right now."

Alice nodded, anxiously beginning to wrap up as much canned soup as she could into a bag- a couple more water bottles and some weapons.

"Where are we going, though?" Chun-Yan asked.

The German woman shook her head, her eyes full of strife and confusion. "I don't know. We just need to get the hell out of here."


	6. Chapter 6

Chaos was inevitable.

Alice whizzed across the room; throwing things around like it was some kind of sport. She had thrown a can of beans into her bag, yet it ricocheted off her bed and into a glass bottle- making it shatter onto the ground. With a loud clank, the glass scattered across the floor.

Monika put her palm to her face, sighing in withheld anger. "Alice, I can't believe you just did that."

Alice's face reddened in embarrassment, her green eyes widening in shock. "I can't believe I just did that either."

Marianne cackled, her white teeth shining in a genuine smile that had not been seen for days. "Oh my god, _Alice._ You little shit."

"Just forget it happened, alright? Jeez." Alice blushed, "I-It wasn't me. It was the bed, d-dammit."

"You're adorable, you know that?" Marianne responded, lightly winking at the flustered English woman standing across from her.

"Stop it."

* * *

Anya had gathered all that she could. She had packed light, only bringing a couple of memories with her, and some food. She had placed Madeline's old mirror in her bag for safekeeping, bringing her scarf and a light jacket in tow. The six of them in total could only pack less than 12 pounds that wasn't food, water, or anything aid related. Marianne had already packed at least 5 pounds of that limit.

There was a 30 pound limit to aid related items, considering how hard it was to carry. Monika, being the stronger one, was the woman who had to carry all the heavy items. Everyone else had to carry their own stuff. 'If you can't walk two miles with it on your back, then leave it at the bunker.' Monika had said, 'If it's that heavy, then it's unnecessary.'

Marianne had asked the question, 'but what if it's vital to my life?'

In which Monika responded, 'What would be _that_ important that hasn't already been taken from you?'

'The last Louis Vuitton heels I ever bought.' Marianne had stated, not able to have recognized the pure materialism in her sentence.

Monika nearly picked up those shoes and threw it at her face, causing Marianne to sadly put them aside.

Feliciana was sleeping soundly like the ignorance of the people, as if there was a flickering flame in the fireplace, her body enwrapped in a wool blanket, listening to the sweet melody of a violin in the peaceful air that the world used to be ensconced in. Her eyes were closed and dense with tiredness for the first time in weeks. The people of the world, or as now phrased, the _men_ of the world seemed to be doused in the callowness of its privilege- given freedom in places of others where there was now none; given life as if a virtue. And yet, to the girls of the bunker, and the last remaining girls of the world, who remain nameless and lifeless in a state of the newly found patriarchy, that freedom was a miracle and a God-given gift.

This wasn't some 21st century American white feminist patriarchy anymore. This was real shit, and they knew that. Feminism didn't exist. There was no women on the world counted as such and if so damn _seen_ preaching the unquestionable, or should not have ever been questioned, human rights for the lives of innocent women would be captured and killed. It was to the point where it affected even the men, in whom they lost their wives, their daughters, their bosses, and their friends. Women used to be valued and respected, but what the fuck happened?

It was greed, religion, politics, and those god damn double standards.

They all knew it was coming when the first shot echoed through the media. _Police officer shoots woman for driving a SUV, Police officer defended by Jury- wins trial in the court of law_ were the headlines that were seen worldwide, printed in bold letters, written by male journalists who seemed to be on the same side as the jury that defended them. It all went downhill from there. Women lost their jobs, women banned from the senate and the house, banned in schools, it soon became into hiding, and slowly into mass genocide. Catholics had no problem starting the genocide. I mean, weren't they the ones who started all the inequality in the first place? No female priests, no female popes, chastity classes, sexual blaming- it all tied in together.

The world slowly was stolen from them, so now they're here. No word in anything. Just a lifeless soul that seemed to have no purpose than to aimlessly walk the world hoping to be shot. Most of them went into hiding, such as the six girls that were migrating away to escape from that cruel reality.

If it were possible to catch a glimpse of the lives they once had would be absolute heaven. If they were to make it to this camp alive would be the only share of heaven on earth they would have been able to share together.

 _If it were possible._

Anya waited at the door, patiently awaiting their hopeful escape from the bunker, her bag light- carrying nothing but a jacket, some memories, and a desire to live.

Monika nodded, sending a silent signal to Anya as if she were saying 'ready?' "Alright, I'll give you guys two more minutes, but we have to leave, fast."

Marianne rushed some of her clothes inside her bag before placing a small kiss on the wall. She knew she'd never see this bunker again, and she knew she'd miss its small amounts of safety it gave them. Even in a world full of fear, she still felt fairly safe inside. It had served them so well over the years.

Alice was already finished, shooting a ' _what the actual fuck are you doing_ ' glare at the Parisian before walking towards the door.

Monika carefully woke Feliciana up, telling her that it was time for them to leave- followed by a small groan from the Italian, who simply just wanted to sleep. She slid out of bed in a daze, rubbing her eyes before walking towards the door.

"Any last words to the bunker?" Chun-Yan asked, blowing a kiss to her bed, taking one last glimpse of the place.

"Thank you," Anya said, personifying the bunker in her thoughts, "For all that you've given us through the years."

Marianne already had tears in her eyes, who was astonished at Alice's lack of emotion.

"You were fun, okay? C'mon, damn it, we need to run." Alice sighed. "We may be killed by a bunch of men with guns."

"Alice's right. Girls, time to prepare your legs, this is going to be one hell of a run." Monika stated truthfully, opening the door just a smidge. "Follow me. I know which direction we're heading."

Sunlight captured the room, almost too bright for the girls, who hadn't adjusted their eyes to the sight in years, to actually see where anyone was going. Monika bolted out the door, the five other girls trailing behind.

And so the escape began. No one knew exactly what the plan was other than to survive and get to the camp, but they went with it anyway.

* * *

The mere sight of the trees, the smell of the breeze, and the whistling noise of the air against her skin as they ran almost put Marianne into shock. It was all so new for something that seemed so natural. It was sad.

She could hear the birds for the first time in years. It was all too overwhelming for her mind to comprehend. Her vision beginning to blur, her mind whirling; she wondered if she would faint or not and be left behind, captured by the soldiers on their way to find them. The thought led her into even more of a shock. In an attempt to keep herself from sobbing, she failed miserably- already slowing down from the pack.

Alice saw this and her only option was to grab her arm and drag her along with them. Doing so, she quickly placed Marianne in her arms and ran like hell, hoping Marianne wouldn't get pissed off and slap the shit out of her.

Yet, she simply lay limp in her arms, her eyes widened like spherical pearls and full of awe.

" _Don't be a pussy, Marianne."_ She said in a way that seemed kind, "It's going to be alright. I've got you."

In the heave of the moment, all of their minds couldn't help but whirl. It was all so shocking and familiar at the same time, and after a while, damn tiring- yet they all kept running because their lives depended on it. They were all considered dead but none of them wanted to die.

Monika shifted their trail onto a fall-looking path, orange trees with dying leaves as they fell onto the ground routinely. Mother Nature knew that no matter how hard the world tried, they could not kill off the woman that was simply the earth itself. Life would still go on. The trees would still blossom, mate with the female trees- and live happily. They couldn't take that away unless they wanted the earth to die.

The soldiers didn't want that. They simply just wanted to kill off the women because they were 'in the way of progress'.

But did they know that we were the ones who had to stay home and raise the next generation of humans? That us women, or people with ovaries, had to raise the men and the people with dicks and hold them inside us for 9 months, only for them to eventually turn on us, the givers of life among them? The earth is a woman, nature is a woman, humans- all the living and non-living factors of the earth springing from her loins. Not to say all women have vaginas, though.

Monika quickly steered them into a corner, hiding them behind a bush before hushing them. "Alright. I am now going to supply us all weapons, just in case shit happens- alright?"

She provided guns to five other girls except for herself. Monika knew that she'd rather die herself than her friends die for her. She knew she was the strongest and she wouldn't need the weapons, opposed to them, however—she was unsure.

Feliciana looked at Monika with eyes full of confusion. "Monika, why don't you have any weapons? You're going to die out there!"

"I know that you're probably concerned, but trust me—I'll be fine. You know I'm the strongest here."

Alice was about to raise her voice when she quickly smothered it, knowing fully of the atmosphere.

"From here on out, no shooting unless it's absolutely necessary. Shoot with wise aim, and do not shoot any of us. Be careful, we're all here for each other. Don't shoot unless shot at, you do not want to gain attention. You know how loud a gunshot is? Yeah, fucking loud." Monika stated, "Clear?"

"Crystal," Marianne gulped.

Monika nodded before rushing over to the nearby trail, heading off into dusk sun lit pathway. It was only a matter of time until shots were fired.

Only a matter of time.


	7. Chapter 7

Five hours. Five hours of nothing but fearless running.

Did it make Anya feel alive or scared? That was the question. She was equally feeling both of those things at the same time, though nonetheless exhausted and in pain. Yet, she was used to it. She had previously ran from a man who killed her best friend and was out for blood, how was this any less difficult?

Except that it was continuous for the past five hours. Out of the question, Anya's legs were burning and she couldn't feel her face.

Breathing became difficult after the first hour. Monika slowed down a bit after that, but they were still running. Monika had said between breaths that it was good for them to get used to running, because if they weren't going to get used to it now- death would be chasing them and they would have no idea how to stay away.

Those words were enough to make Marianne nearly collapse.

Alice and Marianne took turns carrying each other. Once Alice got tired of carrying Marianne, she'd yell " _GET THE FUCK UP"_ before Marianne had no choice than to return the favor.

Darkness was on the rise and it was only a matter of time. They ran against the time, trying to get every mile out of the five hours as they could. The plan was to get as far as they can before the sun goes down. They all know running at night was a bad idea.

Sakura should have known. Maybe that ignorance wouldn't have costed her life.

Alice could tell that if there was anyone behind them or on their tail, they would have caught up with them hours ago. The sun was gripping onto the horizon as if it was praying for the moon's mercy to let the light live. Time was a bitch and they all knew that.

The darkness was a bitch. The moon was a bitch. Hell, mother earth was a bitch. What would life be like without bitches? Oh wait, they already know. It's hell.

Monika stopped in her tracks, the rest of them stopping as well. All of their breaths were heaving as they stood there, their eyes averting towards the orange sky. "Alright. It's time for us to stop for today, and set up camp." Monika slowly walked over to the small grove of trees that would be their campground, sitting down on a log.

"C-can we at least take like, an hour break first?" Marianne heaved.

Monika scowled. "There are no breaks on the survival train, Marianne. Get used to it."

"D-damn you."

Chun-yan was lying on the bark of a tree, already beginning to close her eyes and try to sleep. Monika saw this and got up once again, flicking her nose with her finger.

"Get up. We'll sleep later. Now is not nap time, we're not in Kindergarten anymore. This is life." Monika said, her words cold and pugnacious.

Feliciana was used to Monika being so harsh. It was as if Monika was a commander of a battalion and the Italian woman was a soldier in training. You had to get used to all the insults. It was only out of love.

Anya's throat was dry and was already looking for any source of hydration she could find. The forests seemed to be rid of any rain for the past couple weeks, since the grass was starting to look distraught and brown. The constant rumbling in her stomach and the faint feeling in her head only gave Anya one simple question- how were they supposed to survive out here?

'We'll survive, Anya. We do have Monika. She's pretty keen on survival skills.' She reassured herself.

Moments went by as they sat in silence, all wondering the same question.

After a while, Monika stood up on a log, as if about to spit some straight fire. "Alright, enough lounging around. In order for us to actually lounge around, we need to get this camp settled. I'm setting roles."

Alice groaned.

"Oh, Alice? You're on fire duty. Next time don't dismiss my orders." Monika stated.

Alice groaned again.

"Marianne? You're helping Alice with Fire duty." Monika was already on mother duty, which was currently the rank of being able to boss people around because it's her job. "Chun-Yan? You'll be helping Feliciana with the beds. Can you climb?"

"Yes, very well, mam." Chun-Yan said nicely.

"Mam? Okay then," Monika raised an eyebrow, "I'll be on water duty. Anya? You…. Speculate. Alright, let's get this started- shall we?"

"Speculate?"

"I gave you the easiest job. Take it."

* * *

Ten minutes. All it took was ten minutes.

Marianne had said, "Careful, don't ignite yourself in flames. I don't think your brain can handle all that power."

In which Alice responded with attempted arson. A _friendly_ game of pyromaniac tag.

Chun-yan, who had been attempting to lift herself into the tree, saw this- and before Alice knew it, was already in the middle of an intervention. Grabbing the match out of Alice's hand, she dropped it onto the ground, smothering the flame with her shoe before it could set a forest fire. Smokey the bear didn't need any more complaints.

" _ALICE,_ I SWEAR TO GOD." Chun-yan yelled, though hushed- not wanting to draw attention to them. " _NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER. I KNOW YOU HATE MARIANNE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE HERE_."

Alice stopped in her tracks, crossing her arms in a childish manner. "Damn it, I was just about to snatch her hair—"The Englishwoman grit her teeth, glaring at the French woman who had run away to hide behind Chun-Yan like a defense mechanism. In fact, Chun-Yan likely was a defense mechanism.

"I could have gotten away with it too. I may have just scored a point for my country like we did with Joan of ar—"

"STOP RIGHT THERE."

Marianne had officially lunged herself at Alice, throwing a punch at her face before she could even finish her sentence. No one mentions Joan of Arc. It is law.

Chun-yan quickly grabbed Marianne's fist before she could crash it into Alice's face once again. "Stop it now, you two!" The Chinese woman grabbed Marianne by the shoulders and ripped her off of Alice, shoving her onto the ground. Marianne breathed hard and full of fury, as if she was legitimately about to kill Alice with her bare hands.

Marianne's anger was slowly interrupted by her brief tears.

Chun-Yan violently glared at Alice as the tears fell down Marianne's face.

Alice's heart physically shrunk. Her expression of anger softened into an expression of remorse, seeing Marianne get up and hide behind a tree.

"M-Marianne, I'm..." Alice sat there, "I'm sorry…"

"Don't talk to me."

Chun-Yan shook her head, walking over to the Parisian to try to console her, embracing her into a warm hug.

They didn't talk for a while.

* * *

Monika had gathered all the food they could possibly need for a night and some water before placing it down in front of them. The fire was taken care of, thanks to Chun-Yan, but Feliciana still hadn't finished the beds. Monika felt bad that she was starving them, so she told Feliciana to take a rest and finish dinner before returning to her work.

Monika could never say no to Feliciana.

Anya had gathered some logs to create more of a campsite setting, placing them around the fire as if creating an outdoor living room. The six of them sat around the fire, Feliciana already gulping down the food in her hands as if it were a gift from God.

Marianne ate slowly.

"I can't believe we escaped." Chun-Yan said, trying to lift the spirits between them. Chun-Yan was still the face of optimism. Anya was the second face for the first time in history. "At least we're all together, right?"

"Not all of us." Feliciana said solemnly, "My sister isn't here."

Marianne looked at her in compassion. "It's going to be okay, Feliciana. You're not alone. I wish my daughter was here too, but there are some occurrences in life that we can't explain- and cannot wish away. The only thing we can possibly do as humans and temporary beings is to accept it and try to fill that void with happier thoughts."

"I didn't ask for neurotypical bullshit," Feliciana explained, "But thanks."

Anya's eyes widened. "Anyway. How about we all sing a song?"

"What?" Alice questioned, "What is this, Happy fucking tree friends?"

"Can everyone just stop trying to depress each other!? For God's sake!" Monika intervened, her loud- commanding voice causing everyone to pause.

It was followed by 3 minutes of absolute silence. No one said a word, and everyone focused on eating their food. Except Anya.

"L-lets gather 'round the campfire, and sing our campfire song…" Anya choked, "Our C-A-M-P-F-I-R-E S-O-N-G- song..."

"And if you don't think that we can sing it faster, then you're wrong—"Marianne added.

Alice sighed. "But it'll help if you just sing along…"

" _dundundun…."_

"C-A-M-P-F-I-R-E S-O-N-G SONG—"

"Shut up." Monika intervened. "Enough is enough."

Anya rolled her eyes, continuing the silence as she finished her food. They simply stared at each other behind the flickering light of the flames, as if the light were smiling upon them and yet they rejected it- the warmness and happiness of a moment in which they'd rather just sit in silence and wallow in their sadness.

They finished their dinners and preceded to stare at each other. They all knew that if they were to continue to be on the run, that their group of six would eventually be severed. It had occurred to them that their lives were at a dangerously high risk just doing this, and knew that they probably wouldn't last very long.

And yet they accepted that.

They sat there, Anya proceeding to then start the conversation once again. "Do you guys want to hear about Allen?"

Marianne tilted her head. "Who's Allen?"

"He was my boyfriend, remember?"

"Nope. Not at all."

Anya sighed. "Fine, never mind. I'm tired. I miss him a lot, you know."

"I miss my lover too, Anya." Marianne responded. "He thinks I'm dead."

"Allen probably does too."

Their eyes both filled with tears, struggling to hold onto themselves as they spoke those words. It was so painful to think about the others they left behind. It was an everyday struggle.

"Alright. Enough sadness, it's time to go to sleep. We all need to help Feliciana with the beds. Without Sakura, it's pretty tough." Monika ordered. They all got up from their tree bark benches and began to walk towards the trees, Chun-Yan supplying everyone with a blanket and some makeshift pillows.

Feliciana's dexterous feet climbed its way up towards the first branch, attempting to lift herself onto such branch. Her foot slipped, nearly sliding downwards to meet the cold ground. Monika quickly grabbed Feliciana, her hands aiming towards her waist- though was a botched attempt at trying to lift her upwards- because poor Monika Beilschmidt had just grabbed the Italian's ass.

Marianne gasped before _ooing_ intently.

"Fuck you," Monika blushed, "Don't say a word about this."

* * *

Everyone had successfully gotten themselves up in the tree, and into their selected tree bed. It had taken many tries from all of them, but in the end- everyone made it up safely. Alice nearly broke her neck.

Twice.

They beds weren't necessarily comfortable. Sleeping in trees was nerve-wracking, but at least they could sleep. Monika told them that if they were to hide themselves well enough, even if there were a group of soldiers on their trail, they'd pass on by.

She hoped.

Monika was the last one to sleep that evening. She couldn't shake off the motherly fear that was being protective over her friends.

She couldn't let anything happen to them. Not even on her cold dead body.

All of them rarely dreamed. It was severely uncommon for Marianne, however, but tonight she suffered through multiple. She would rarely get dreams unless they were nightmares. Rare, peaceful dreams were vague. She never remembered them.

But this one, however, was something Marianne could never shake off.

She had awaken in her old home, making pancakes alone in her kitchen. The painful voice of little Madeline, as clear as she could remember, ran into the kitchen- her eyes full of tears and strife. The little Madeline shook the Parisian as hard as she could, knocking the spatula from her hands.

"Bad times are ahead, mommy. Please come home."

That morning was when Marianne screamed, waking up on her boundless branch with a jolt. There were no boundaries to keep them from falling.

The jolt was too powerful to keep Marianne from not rolling off the edge. She was too tired and shocked to notice that she had just quickly tumbled off the branch. It all happened so quickly, and ended so soon with a loud crack onto the ground.

It was only a matter of time for the six of them to be severed. Was fate on their side, or was fate in the hands of the little Madeline in her dreams?  
Marianne never knew. Neither did the five other girls.

It was, still, only a matter of time.


End file.
